Rev Gershom Twinamatsiko from Rukungiri District spent nearly ten years seeking relief from a misdiagnosed condition that turned out to be prostate cancer. His symptoms first appeared in 2013, prompting him to visit Kisiizi Hospital, where he was treated twice for what was believed to be benign prostate enlargement. Despite undergoing procedures in both 2013 and 2019, his condition failed to improve. A 2016 motorcycle accident further delayed his quest for proper care.
Eventually, he made the 380-kilometre journey to Kampala and received an accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer at Mengo Hospital. He was referred to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) for radiotherapy. “Getting the correct diagnosis took a long time, but I thank God I’m still here,” he reflected.
Another patient, a woman from Kole District who preferred anonymity, also struggled for years without a correct diagnosis. She had been suffering from severe bleeding, pain, weight loss, and abdominal swelling, yet her condition was repeatedly misdiagnosed as a urinary tract infection across multiple health facilities, including clinics and hospitals. At Lira Hospital, she was admitted but never attended to by a senior doctor. She eventually sought help at Aber Mission Hospital in Oyam, where her medical samples were sent to Kampala. It was only then she was correctly diagnosed with uterine cancer.
Doctors at Aber initially considered surgery, but pathology experts in Mulago recommended urgent referral to UCI due to the aggressive nature of her cancer. With financial support from relatives, she reached the institute and completed her treatment.
Previously, the delays in cancer diagnosis were often blamed on patients turning to herbal remedies. However, health professionals now recognize that many of these failures happen within formal medical institutions. Some patients believe health workers hesitate to make timely referrals to retain revenue, though specialists argue that a major issue lies in limited awareness among general healthcare workers regarding non-communicable diseases like cancer.
Dr Alfred Jatho, head of Community Cancer Prevention at UCI, stressed the importance of reassessing diagnoses when treatment shows no results after a month or two. “It’s not always cancer—but it should be ruled out early to prevent late-stage discoveries,” he said. Dr Jatho also advised patients to seek second opinions if treatment proves ineffective, adding that persistent changes in medication with no progress may indicate a misdiagnosis.
One such example is Andrew Batwahura from Bugiri, who was initially treated for a urinary tract infection and later syphilis. Only after his condition worsened did a government hospital refer him to UCI, where he was finally diagnosed with prostate cancer.
To address these issues, UCI is working on national guidelines to help frontline health workers identify potential cancer cases more quickly. However, their efforts are hindered by financial limitations. Dr Nixon Niyonzima, head of research and training at UCI, revealed that only Shs420 million is allocated annually for cancer screening—amounting to just Shs9 per Ugandan.
Dr Noleb Mugisha, who is leading the creation of a national cancer control plan, emphasized that most patients arrive at the institute in advanced stages of the disease. Despite Uganda recording close to 40,000 new cancer cases each year, UCI receives only 20 percent of them, with most presenting at stage 3 or 4, complicating treatment and lowering survival chances.
Current UCI statistics show that Uganda registers around 21,000 cancer-related deaths annually. Health experts underline that early detection is crucial. Dr Jatho highlighted that cervical cancer is the most prevalent among women in Uganda and recommended screening every three years for women aged 25 and above. He also advised that men aged 40 and older undergo annual screenings for prostate cancer.